In an effort to convey materials from one point to another, conveyors are typically utilized. Conveyors can consist of pneumatic blowers, augers, belts running on rollers or chain drags.
Auger conveyors (also known as a screw conveyor, or an Archimedes' screw) employ a rotating helical screw blade, commonly known as flighting, which rotates about on an inline axis within an inline conduit. While augers are typically employed to move granular solids, they can also be used to move liquids or a mixture of solids and liquids.
Auger conveyors are most commonly employed in industries where the horizontal or vertical (or a combination of both) transfer of solids or semi-solid materials is required. Examples include industries that process food waste, wood chips, aggregates, cereal grains, animal feed, boiler ash, meat and bone meal, municipal solid waste, and many others.
Augers are typically driven at one end by an electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or internal combustion engine, while allowed to freely rotate within a bearing at the opposite end. The rate of volume transfer is proportional to the rotation rate of the shaft. In industrial control applications, the device is often used as a variable rate feeder by varying the rotation rate of the shaft to deliver a measured rate or quantity of material into a process.
Screw conveyors can be operated with the flow of material inclined upward. When space allows, this is a very economical method of elevating and conveying. As the angle of inclination increases, the capacity of a given unit decreases.
The primary drawback of an industrial auger conveyor is that they require an inline path, meaning they rotate on only a single axis. Thus, if the receiving and delivery points of the auger are not in a direct line, one or more auger conveyors, or a different type of conveyor, is required for the application.
Thus, there is need to facilitate a means of mechanical conveyance in an efficient manor, on a non-inline path.